Monthly Archives: September 2013

Several times a week I am asked if we have any lactose free cheese? I have always said “No all our cheese comes from milk”

Well, while looking for something else I found this article on Lactose Free Cheese which made me stop and read it. I know that everything on the internet is not the truth always but this did make sense. So I thought to share it….

Ask my lactose-intolerant daughter what she misses eating most, and she speaks for many of the individuals who lack the ability to process most dairy products (roughly 65 percent of all people, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine): cheese. As in mac and cheese. As in lasagna, baked ziti, stuffed shells, and just about every other yummy Italian dish loved by kids young and old. While ice cream runs a close second, if you are a true cheese lover, it is sorely missed when you’re told you can’t have it.

Well, here’s some news that might surprise you. Did you know that hard, naturally and well-aged cheeses such as sharp cheddar and mature Parmesan, contain low, trace amounts of lactose – generally less than 1 gram of lactose per ounce? In fact, the majority of the lactose found in cheeses is removed with the whey during the manufacturing process. This means you might be able to enjoy a consequence-free, happy little cheesy nosh if you choose an aged cheese and quell that very specific hunger pang. But remember we’re only talking one to a few ounces, not a feast, or else the end result can be an ugly bout of bloating, diarrhea, painful gas, or constipation.

Which cheeses contain the most lactose? Number 1: processed cheeses (think Velveeta) can contain as much lactose as whole milk. Next, unripened and fresh cheeses such as farmer’s cheese, cream cheese, and queso fresco have very high quantities of lactose and are best avoided by lactose-intolerant folk.

If the nutritional label on the back of a package of cheese or cheese product says it contains zero sugar, this suggests that the product is lactose-free, since lactose is a sugar.

Regardless of being diagnosed as lactose-intolerant or not, the ability to digest lactose varies individual to individual, so the key to enjoying low level lactose products is knowing your own body and moderating amounts consumed.

Lactose is also called milk sugar. It is found in all dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt. A naturally occuring enzyme called lactase is needed to digest lactose. As people age, their lactase production can decrease, causing a sensitivity to lactose.

Many types of cheese, however, naturally have very low or non-measurable amounts of lactose. How can you tell how much lactose a cheese contains? Follow these general guidelines.

Answer: During the cheesemaking process, the milk is thickened and the whey (liquid) is drained from the curds (solids). Whey typically has more lactose in it than curds do. Since the whey is drained from the curds before cheese is made, this removes quite a bit of lactose. The curds used to make softer cheeses (like Brie) have more moisture (whey) in them than the curds used to make hard, dry cheeses like Cheddar. Therefore, soft cheeses tend to have more lactose than hard cheeses.

As cheese ages, it loses even more moisture. The longer a cheese has been aged, the less lactose will remain in the final product. If you’re concerned about lactose, talk to your local cheesemonger about how long a cheese has been aged before buying it. According to Beemster, a producer of Dutch Gouda, “during the maturation process the lactose changes into lactic acid.” Beemster claims their Classic Gouda (matured 18 months) and XO Gouda (matured 26 months) are lactose free. However, some of their other varieties of Gouda that aren’t aged as long do have traces of lactose. Cabot Creamery, a Cheddar producer, says, “Aged cheeses, such as Cabot’s naturally aged cheddar contain 0 grams of lactose. In fact, unlike many other dairy products, cheese in general is very low in lactose. Most contain less than 1 gram per serving and should not cause any lactose intolerance related symptoms.”

Other cheese types that are aged for long periods of time and are likely to have very small or non-measurable levels of lactose include:

 Parmigiano-Reggiano (typically aged 12-24 months)

 Grana Padano (typically aged 12-20 months)

 Mimolette (typically aged 22 months)

 Romano (typically aged 3-4 years)

There are also varieties of “cheese” made without dairy that contain no lactose at all. Although these types of cheese don’t have the same flavor or texture as cheese made with milk, some people find them to be a fine substitute. The options include soy cheese, rice cheese and almond cheese. Another option is yogurt cheese. Although made from dairy,Cultured Way claims that their yogurt cheese is made from “…active yogurt cultures, acidophilus and bifidus, which remove the milk sugars during the cheese making and aging process.”

Like this:

We have our line up! 13 different blue cheeses…. And this is just a drop in the bucket for what is available to choose from.

Our Line Up:

Blu Di Bufala – Italy – water buffalo

Blue Cheese (regular) – Italy – cow

Gorgonzola – Italy – cow

Danish Blue – Denmark – cow

Cabrales – Spain – mixed cow, sheep and goat

Verde Capra – Italy – goat

Roquefort – France – Ewe

La Peral – Spain – cow and ewe

Mist’O Blue – Lancaster PA – raw goat

Monterey – Lancaster PA

Blue de Ewe – Lancaster PA

Maytag – Newton IO – cow

Valdeon Azul – Spain – cow and sheep

So come hungry there are a lot of cheese to taste! Where to start? Let’s see if we make the list into either strong or mild will that help? But no that will not work because I know that what I think is strong some of you will not think so. So the only way is to try them and find the ones you like. Maybe cow vs. goat vs. sheep, soft and creamy vs dry and crumbly? Well which ever way you like it we should have it covered.

We will have green olives stuffed with both Valdeon and Gorgonzola to choose also. So remember to wear your blue for the 10% discount, come hungry to try out all the different ones and they REALLY do taste different.

The Amish have been making cheese the same way for hundreds of years. The animals are hand milked twice a day, grass feed, are sustainably raised. The cheeses are farmer-certified rBGH free. Because of the wonderful care given the these animals the cheese is rich in calcium, contains no preservatives or chemical additives.

We will have Amish blue cheese made from cows, sheep and goats. This cheese is great served with wine and crackers, as a dessert with fresh fruit or in dips and pasta. Our friends at Farris Farms have some WONDERFUL grass fed steaks that the blue cheese will taste great on. Make sure to wear BLUE for your discount this weekend.

We have paired it with the following: Stout, Sherry, Scotch, Sauternes, Porter, Port, and late harvest Riesling.

Serrano-Wrapped Figs

Ingredients

18 fresh figs, cut in half

1 cup Amish Blue cheese, softened

18 slices Serrano ham, cut 1/16” thick by 2” wide

1-1/2 cup arugula leaves

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions

Preheat oven to 500° F. Scoop a small amount out of the center of each fig half and fill each half equally with the Amish Blue cheese. Put the halves back together and wrap each fig with Serrano. Bake until the Serrano begins to crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil and toss with the arugula. Place three warm figs on each plate. Place 1/4 cup of arugula in the center. Sprinkle with the almonds and serve

Danish Blue (also known as Danablu) is a strong, blue veined cheese. This semi-soft creamery cheese is typically drum or block shaped and has a white to yellowish, slightly moist, edible rind. Made from cow’s milk, it has a fat content of 25–30% (50–60% in dry matter) and is aged for eight to twelve weeks.

Before ageing, copper wires or rods are used to pierce the formed curds to distribute the mold (Penicillium roqueforti) evenly through the cheese. The holes can still be seen when the finished wheel is cut open.

Danish Blue was invented early in the 20th century by a Danish cheese maker named Marius Boel with the intention of emulating a Roquefort style cheese. Danish Blue has a milder flavor characterized by a sharp, salty taste.

Danish Blue is often served crumbled on salads or as a dessert cheese with fruit. In Denmark, it is often served on bread or biscuits.

Danish Blue and Esrom are the only two Danish cheeses that are PGI marked by the EU, meaning that they may only be produced in Denmark from Danish milk and at approved dairies that produce the cheeses according to the specifications laid down.

Wine to Pair with Danish Blue

Cabernet Sauvignon, often referred to as the “King of Red Wine Grapes,” originally from Bordeaux, with a substantial foothold in California’s wine races, has the privilege of being the world’s most sought after red wine. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes tend to favor warmer climates and are often an ideal wine for aging, with 5-10 years being optimal for the maturation process to peak. Because Cabs take a bit longer to reach maturation, allowing their flavors to mellow, they are ideal candidates for blending with other grapes, primarily Merlot. This blending softens the Cabernet, adding appealing fruit tones, without sacrificing its innate character.

Baked figs with Danish blue cheese & Prosciutto

Black or green figs Danish blue cheese with Serrano ham.

Slice the figs in half, make a small indent with the back of a teaspoon then place a small amount of blue cheese (marble size) and top with a piece of prosciutto. Arrange on a baking tray and roast in a hot oven, about 425F/200C for 8-10 minutes, but keep an eye on them! You want the prosciutto to be browning and the cheese and fig to melt together nicely, you don’t want them to over bake so they end up a jammy mess on the bottom of the tray (we’ve both been there – still delicious though!). Let them cool down slightly so your guests don’t burn their mouths and then watch them disappear in an instant.

The French claim it is one of the original blues that has sometimes been dubbed “the King of cheeses”. It is said that it was discovered when an early French shepherd forgot his cream-cheese sandwich in the depths of a damp cave, only to return days later and find it transformed into something that looked gross but proved to be seductively delicious.

Like all blue cheeses, Roquefort is intentionally injected with spores of a beneficial mold penicillium roqueforti, and yes, it is related to penicillin which grows in the cheese to form a webby network of blue veins that confer its unique color, aroma and flavor.

Roquefort is made from sheep’s milk. Like Champagne for sparkling wine, the name can only be used legally for cheese made by the traditional method in a specific place the caves of Mont Combalou near the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in the Midi Pyrenees region of Southern France, about midway between Marseilles and Bordeaux.

BLUE CHEESE WITH PORT:
Some people like the marriage between Roquefort and a modest Port (Croft 1997 Late Bottled Vintage). The Roquefort’s creaminess seems to soften the fortified wine’s harsher edges and spread its flavors across the palate.

But most people like Roquefort with a dry wine.

BLUE CHEESE AND DRY WINES:
Roquefort with robust dry reds, from Bordeaux through the Rhone to Amarone, but if you’re planning a party, you should note that many people find that the blue-cheese and red-wine combination imparts a metallic taste to the wine that most people find unpleasant. Dry, aromatic whites such as Sauvignon Blanc generally go well, and so do lighter reds from Beaujolais to a fruity style, non-tannic Pinot Noir.

Our favorite is a Sauvignon Blanc called Kollwentz Sauvignon Blanc Steinmühle 2010 is reminiscent of the style of Pascal and Francois Cotat. It is tropical on the nose with aromas of pineapple, peach, lime, and apple blossom. In the mouth there is beautiful weight and it is at once palate coating, creamy, and reclusive. Flavors turn more to classic Sauvignon Blanc with chalk, salinity, and quartz minerality joining in on the finish